Jean Coleman's Blog

Her shopping completed, a young mother stood in front of the grocery store with her four small children and overflowing cart. It had been a long morning and the youngsters were tired and fussy. She sighed as she contemplated the challenge of getting the children and groceries into the car.

Just then she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find one of the older women from the church smiling at her. "You look like you have your hands full," her friend said. "I'm sure it isn't easy to raise four children in this day and age."

As the two women continued to talk together, the children stayed close to their mother's side. The smallest boy clutched the hem of her garment tightly in his hand like a security blanket. He wasn't about to let her out of his sight.

It was obvious that the mother was very much aware of her little brood at her feet. Every few moments she would stretch out her hand to stroke a child's hair or to hoist up a pair of drooping jeans. She opened her purse and took out a tissue to wipe a runny nose and a few minutes later she bent down to tie a shoelace. There was no doubt about it, she was love in action.

The older woman watched all of this mothering with great interest and finally asked a very pointed question: "How do you manage to divide your love among so many children?"

The young mother was instant in season with the answer. "I don't divide it. I multiply it. Then there's always plenty of love to go around."

What a tremendous number of children there are in the family of God. Our Heavenly Father has a multitude of sons and daughters composed of every kindred and tribe scattered all across the face of the earth. "How do you divide Your love among so many children, Lord?" we might be tempted to ask. And God replies, "I don't divide it. I multiply it!"

Isn't it wonderful that God has more than enough love to go around. There is always more than enough love for everyone. He gives and gives and still has more love to give.

And the Lord is always very much aware of those little ones who stand close to Him, holding tightly to His garment of righteous. His hand is always outstretched to comfort one of His children or to apply discipline when necessary. When the shoelaces of our lives get all tangled up, He is there to help us straighten things out.

Multiplied love! Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish the day he fed the multitude and there was plenty of food for everyone. There was even enough food left over that the disciples were able to fill twelve baskets with the fragments. It's interesting to note that there were twelve baskets and also twelve disciples. Not a one of the disciples went away empty-handed or empty-hearted. The love of Jesus never runs out. It just keeps on multiplying.

As disciples we are also called upon to share a lot of love with others. We reach out to the hurting and wounded, loving them with the love of the Lord. The miracle is that we give and give and yet there is always more of God's love on reserve within us. The multiplying God never ceases to multiply His love in us and through us.

Our amazing God always has more than enough!

by Jean Coleman
Author of "Chapter 29 Revisited"
http://www.amazon.com/Chapter-29-Revi...

I was a sinner who was saved by grace, but now I am no longer a sinner. Through grace I have become a saint, a holy person who is being conformed into the image of Christ. I am now a new creature and this new creature (or creation if you prefer) is sanctified and holy, one who has been cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus. The sinner I used to be has been miraculously transformed into a saint.

Jesus' first miracle was changing water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana. And Jesus' first miracle in us is also the miracle of change. He changes a sinner into saint. When we come to the cross and trust in Jesus as our Savior, we are changed from sinners into saints in the eyes of God.

When a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. is it still referred to as a caterpillar? Or does it become a totally new creature with a new name? From the moment of transformation, it becomes known as a butterfly? The old caterpillar was designed to squirm along confined to the dirt and dust of the earth, but when it became a butterfly it was set free and could soar to new heights in the heavenlies. The butterfly didn't fly around shouting, "Look at me. I'm a caterpillar." It was no longer a caterpillar, but it had become a beautiful butterfly. It had been transformed into something completely new. It had been changed. The caterpillar has become a butterfly and the sinner has become a saint.

The Bible says that "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." If you believe you are a sinner, you will continue to sin. That is the nature of a sinner. But if you recognize that the old putrid sinner (the dead man) has been buried in the waters of baptism, then you know that you have been raised from the watery grave as a new creature to walk in a new and living way. No longer a sinner, you are a saint.

Once a man came to pray for me at a meeting. He laid his hands upon my shoulders and began to pray, "Lord, I know that I'm just a dirty old sinner and don't deserve for you to hear my prayer, but I'm going to make a request anyway."

I was shocked by his words. "Just a minute!" I thought. "I certainly don't want a dirty old sinner praying for me!" How sad it is when someone who has been born again through the grace of God and the blood of the Lamb still views himself as a "dirty old undeserving sinner." God forbid! We need to begin to see ourselves as God sees us.

Gideon was declared to be a mighty man of valor when he was actually a wimp hiding behind the wine press. He needed to see himself the way that God saw him. Gideon was called, chosen and empowered to be a mighty man of valor. Once he believed that God had the power to change him, Gideon was able to become the victorious person that the Lord had called him to be.

And we have been redeemed! We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. "If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away and behold, all things have become new." But we have to believe for the miracle of transformation to take place in our lives.

So here's the big question I'm asking born again Christians: Are you a sinner or a saint? Think about it. The strength of your Christian walk will depend upon how you answer that question. Are you a sinner or a saint?

by Jean Coleman

NOT FOR EVERYONE, BUT PERHAPS FOR YOU

As a Bible teacher, I felt led on New Year's Day to write a short Bible study that I think will help you to understand the four gospels and how each was written to show a different aspect of of the nature and role of Jesus. This teaching has gone viral and now has been seen by over 14,000 people.

The Gospel of Matthew is written to the Jews and shows Jesus as the King of the Jews. Consequently there are many scriptures quoted throughout Matthew because the Jews all knew the scriptures and could see how they were fulfilled through Jesus. The genealogy of Jesus begins with Abraham (the father of the Jews) and the lineage goes through Solomon, the son of David. It is the lineage through Joseph who was recognized legally as the father of Jesus.

The Gospel of Mark is written to show Jesus as Servant/Prophet. You will notice there is no lineage given in this book because if you are looking for a servant, his ancestry is not of vital importance. You are seeking to discover if a servant is strong and has the ability to accomplish the work he is required to perform. In the Gospel of Mark you see Jesus doing the Father's will and completing His work.

The Gospel of Luke reveals Jesus as the Son of Man. The book was written to the Greeks who were Gentiles so there are few scriptures used. Luke was a physician so he writes of many healing miracles. The genealogy is traced all the way back to Adam, the first man. You will notice that the lineage goes through Nathan (one of the sons of David) and shows the ancestry of Jesus through Mary's side. In the Gospel of Luke much of the human nature of Jesus is shown.

The Gospel of John reveals Jesus as the Son of God and starts out, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." No genealogy is necessary because we see that Jesus always was. In John 14:9, Jesus says, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Throughout the Gospel of John we see God revealed through Jesus. We hear Jesus referring to Himself as the I AM. As Luke revealed the human nature of Jesus, the Gospel of John reveals the spiritual nature of Jesus.

These four witnesses wrote of Jesus so that we can know without a doubt that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Jesus did not only come to the Jews, but also as a light to the Gentiles. He came to reveal the Father to those who have the eyes to see.

Blessings and Happy New Year.
Jean Coleman
Author of "Chapter 29 Revisited"
www.facebook.com/chapter29

Debbie’s eyes were aglow with delight as she caught her first glimpse of the Christmas tree in the early morning light. We had determined that this year was going to be the biggest and best Christmas ever and we had spared no expense to purchase a multitude of toys designed to thrill the heart of our daughter.

Our two year old must have thought she was in a toy store as she viewed the display of merchandise awaiting her. Debbie just stood there trying to take it all in—the rocking horse, the puzzles, the child-size kitchen set, the balls and dolls. She seemed to be completely overwhelmed by the vast array spread out before her.

Then she noticed her Christmas stocking hanging from the mantel. Eagerly she ran over, took it down, and carefully began to remove the contents of the stocking one item at a time. She examined each piece of candy and every little toy. We tried to hurry her along, anxious for her to pay attention to the wonderful, expensive toys under the tree.

Finally the stocking appeared to be empty. But wait—what’s this? Reaching way down deep into the toe, Debbie had discovered a tiny plastic baby doll with a wee bed and blanket, and a microscopic baby bottle. We had purchased the little doll at the dime store on Christmas Eve for a quarter. It was one of those last minute impulse things, but Debbie was captivated by it. She wouldn’t put the little doll down.

We urged her to come and see all the other toys, but she wouldn’t budge. All she wanted was the tiny baby with its little bottle and bed. Debbie continued to sit on the floor taking the doll in and out of its bed, covering it with the tiny blanket. Time passed.

After a while, we began to get impatient. Hundreds of dollars of the finest toys available sat untouched under the tree, and all Debbie wanted was the tiny baby with its little bottle and bed. We tried to draw her attention to the toy kitchen with its many working parts, but to no avail. The tiny baby had stolen Debbie’s heart. She had eyes for nothing else.

Oh that the Babe of Bethlehem might steal our hearts this Christmas. In the midst of all the commercialism, bright lights and tinsel, let us turn our eyes upon Jesus. There are so many things that seek to draw our affection away from the Holy Child in the manger. We often have to look past Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman and decorated trees to find the real reason for Christmas.

The temptation is there to look at the big, the bright, the beautiful, the exciting. Look here! See the newest, the greatest! See the most expensive, the most advanced. Look here! Leave the Baby! Look what’s over here!

But let us never forget that the greatest Christmas gift ever given to men came wrapped in human flesh in the form of a tiny baby. May God grant us child-like faith to turn away from everything else that the world has to offer to embrace His precious gift—a baby named Jesus.


From the book
"Following in His Footsteps"
by Jean Coleman

I'll never forget the first time I saw Katie. It was in the final moments of the Christmas musical being presented at our church. In the closing scene, the actor portraying Jesus was to descend from his throne and walk slowly to the front of the stage. Everything was moving right on schedule. As the music swelled to a crescendo, our pseudo-Jesus stretched forth his arms to the people in the audience as the choir with lifted voices sang, "Come unto Me! Come unto Me! All ye who labor, come unto Me!"

There was a powerful anointing in the church as the musical reached the carefully rehearsed climax. Several actors and actresses had been placed strategically in the audience and the script called for them to leave their seats at predetermined times and go forward in response to the invitation being issued by Jesus. The pre-set musical cues were perfectly timed to allow each person to climb the stairs up to the stage and receive a blessing from the man playing Jesus. What could possibly go wrong?

As the director, I was seated in the front row and I anxiously watched the final scene being played out before me. Everything was going just as planned. There went the first actor onto the stage to receive his blessing. As he returned to his seat, the second came forward right in time with the music—onto the stage and off of the stage. The timing was perfect and I breathed a sigh of relief.

And then to my utter amazement, an unknown woman rose from her seat. She came running down the center aisle and darted up the stairs onto the stage. Throwing herself down at Jesus' feet, she cried out, "Oh Jesus, please save me! My life is such a mess! I need You."

Although the choir seemed momentarily confused by what was happening, they continued on with the powerful song without missing a beat. The young man portraying Jesus stayed completely in character and you could almost sense the anointing come upon him. He reached down and helped the anguished woman to her feet and wrapped her in his arms, holding her briefly as she sobbed against his shoulder. Then he placed his hands upon her head and I could see his lips moving as he prayed a blessing upon her.

The anthem was rapidly drawing to a close and I really had no idea what was going to happen next. But I had no need to worry because "Jesus" had everything under control. With the woman's hand in his, he gently assisted her down the stairs from the stage and they walked together up the aisle to the back of the church. I'm not sure that those in the audience even realized what was taking place right before their eyes.

As the congregation rose to its feet giving the choir a standing ovation, I quickly left the sanctuary, eager to meet our unexpected addition to the Christmas musical. Katie was there in the lobby with tears still streaming down her face. The miracle of Christmas became a reality as she prayed with me and received Jesus as her Savior. Christ the Lord was born that day in her heart. The Lord had given our church a wonderful Christmas gift—a precious soul added to the kingdom of God—a woman named Katie.

Your Bible is very much like a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle. When you pick up the Bible, it is like you are holding the puzzle box containing the many pieces that must be put together to form the total picture. Between the covers of this most remarkable book you will discover a picture of Almighty God, but you must painstakingly assemble the pieces that are supplied, line upon line, precept upon precept until the entire puzzle is complete.

As in any puzzle, the most important place to start is with the border and you will quickly learn that the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John comprise the border of the Bible. Every doctrine and teaching in the scriptures is based upon the life, death and resurrection of Jesus as recorded in the gospels. Without the gospels the rest of the Bible wouldn't hold together because the framework for the entire Old and New Testaments depends upon the solid message of the four gospels. Without the gospels you can only see scattered pieces containing historical facts, narratives, parables and allegories. But within the confines of the gospels everything falls into place and is held firmly by the tremendous revelation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

Once the border is in place, it is time to start working on filling in the center of the puzzle. The Book of Acts and the epistles connect easily with the gospels and will make the picture much clearer. The many great doctrines brought forth by Paul, Peter, James, John and Jude through their letters reveal more and more of the mind of God.

The picture of who God is and His plan for mankind becomes more obvious as each piece is sought, found and put into place. At times the magnitude of this undertaking can be almost overwhelming. Who can hope to comprehend the mysteries of the kingdom of God? But the Holy Spirit continues to encourage with these words, "Seek and you shall find." Every piece that is firmly positioned into place shows more of God's likeness.

The Acts of the Apostles and the various epistles are really like the pieces that form the background of a jigsaw puzzle. In the Bible you begin to see the church come into view as people are tightly joined together side by side. These vital pieces combine to bring forth the revelation that the Holy Spirit is making us one in Christ Jesus and gathering us together in His name.

The Book of Revelation might be compared to pieces that when connected show mountain ranges far off in the distance, with the colors difficult to discern but nevertheless bridging heaven and earth. The puzzle becomes more difficult to put together now and involves more trial and error. The piece you thought was the correct one yesterday, viewed in today's light obviously does not fit. It can be tempting to give up at this point. The "easy" part of the puzzle is completed and the going becomes very slow. One can become discouraged and stop working before the entire puzzle is assembled. So many pieces still remain outside the frame.

And what about the Old Testament? How does that fit into the picture puzzle? It can possibly be compared to the hundreds of pieces of sky that must be put into place before the puzzle is finished. You don't need these pieces to see Jesus, but without them the puzzle still remains incomplete.

It will take a lifetime to put together the entire puzzle joining piece to piece, but don't get discouraged. The Lord has sent a Helper to assist you in finding the right piece at the right time for the right place. The Holy Spirit will be there at your side pointing out the pieces and showing you how it all comes together. Who knows? Perhaps it will be in heaven when your last piece is finally placed and the puzzle completed.

Following In His Footsteps: Walking Day by Day with Jesus

A number of years ago a friend of mine went on a short vacation to California. When she returned, she presented me with a brightly wrapped package. Brushing aside my protests, she stated, "The minute that I saw this in the shop, I knew it was for you and I couldn't resist buying it. Go ahead and open it up."

With great excitement I peeled back the wrapping paper and found a small framed wall mirror for my office. But it certainly wasn't an ordinary mirror. I had never seen anything like it before because right in the center of the mirror was a wooden cross.

I loved the mirror from the first moment that I held it in my hands and with great delight I hung it on the wall near the door. However, my delight with the gift ended the first time I approached it with lipstick in hand for a quick touch-up before leaving the office. As I looked into the mirror, I couldn't see me. All I could see was the cross. I was actually hidden behind the cross.

I shifted this way and that way trying to position myself so that I could see past the cross, but it remained firmly planted in the center of my vision. My face was completely blocked out.

Finally I discovered that by standing on my tiptoes, I could see my eyes. And if I stooped down a little and moved to the left, I could actually see well enough to apply my lipstick. But the cross dominated my view of myself.

As I pondered my new mirror, I sensed the Lord speaking deep down in my heart. "This mirror will serve as a constant reminder that the cross must always be in the center of your life and the way you see yourself. This is how I always view you—hidden behind the cross of Christ.

Many years have passed since I received the mirror, but a day rarely passes that I don't glance into it once or twice. I may be running a comb through my hair before going to a meeting or putting some powder on my nose, but when I see the cross, my thoughts immediately turn to Jesus and His wonderful love.

Through the miracle of God's grace, my life is hid with Christ in God. When God looks down from heaven, He sees me through the cross and I am reflected to Him as holy and righteous.

How are you viewed by your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers? What do they see reflected through your life? Do they see you or do they see the cross of Christ?

We should be serving as mirrors in the world, mirrors used to reflect the glory of God. Jesus is described in the scriptures as being "the express image of the person of God" (Hebrews 1:3). What kind of image do you project?

One day the disciples came to Jesus with a request. "Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied."

And the Mirror of God replied, "Have I been with you all this time and you haven't realized? If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father. I am the reflection of His very Being" (John 14:6).

The world will not see Jesus unless they see Him reflected through His people. Let us hide behind the cross so that only Jesus can be seen. God grant that we might be able to respond the same way that Jesus did and say with assurance, "He who has seen me has seen Jesus."

Perhaps that statement may seem rather bold, but if people don't see Jesus in us, where are they going to see Him? We call our selves Christians. Do you know what Christian means? Christian means "Christ-like". When we say we are Christians, we are stating, "I am like Christ." It's a bold power-packed statement, but others really should be able to see Jesus in us reflecting His life, His love and His service.

Are you reflecting His glory? Are you being conformed into His image? Are you being changed from glory to glory? You should be the mirror that people look into to see Christ revealed. Just keep the cross before you at all times and follow in His footsteps.

Love is everything that's lovely, love is patient, love is kind,
Love's not jealous, love's not boastful, no arrogance you find.
Love's not rude and not resentful, love rejoices not in wrong,
Love is not a clanging cymbal, love is not a noisy gong.
Love is gentle, love is tender, love is giving, love is good,
Love is righteous, love is holy, love is living as one should.
Love is thinking first of others and seeing to their need,
Love is mercy and forgiveness, does not covet, knows no greed.
Love is not puffed up or haughty, shows humility to all,
Love is hating what is evil once you've heard the Master's call.
Love is giving to your neighbor, even when you go without,
Love is walking close to Jesus, overcoming fear and doubt.
Love is hoping, love's believing, love's enduring to the end,
Love is bearing all things gladly because Jesus is your friend.
Love remains with you forever, love will never pass away,
Love's a living constant presence as you walk with Christ each day.
Love is everything that's perfect, love is everything that's right,
Love is following after Jesus and keeping Him in sight.
Love's the answer to all problems, love's the greatest gift that's known,
Love reflects our Maker's image for through love God's grace is shown.

Lazarus was dead and our Lord Jesus wept,
But He told His disciples that Lazarus just slept.
The death of the body to Jesus was sleep
For the soul lives forever in His precious sheep.
The mourners were weeping,
They were all filled with gloom
And Christ too was troubled that day by the tomb.
For Lazarus had gone to a far better life,
A life free from sickness and pain, hate and strife.
Yet to show all God's glory, Jesus needed him here.
Lazarus had to come back so the truth would be clear.
And so Jesus wept as He called Lazarus out,
Back to sin, hate and evil and to pain and to doubt.
For Lazarus had seen just what joy lies in store
For those who by faith enter through heaven's door.
But the Master had called him, so Lazarus returned,
And the truth Christ was Savior, the people discerned.
The life-giving Savior before them did stand
And the might of His power they spread through the land.
And Lazarus who saw heaven's glory unfurled
Once more walked the paths of our sinful old world.
And that's why our blessed Lord Jesus did cry--
He had brought Lazarus back from the glory on high.

From the Gospel of John 11:1-45

God had a plan for Jonah. He wanted Jonah to go to Nineveh and He spelled it out for him in no uncertain terms. "Arise, go to Nineveh that great city and cry against it because their wickedness has come up before Me."

Jonah was without excuse. He knew exactly what God wanted him to do. The only problem was that Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh because he didn't believe that the city deserved God's mercy. So he made the decision to resist God and to flee from the presence of the Lord. Instead of going to Nineveh, Jonah went down to Joppa and found a ship that was sailing to Tarshish.

After all, "Jonah reasoned, "I have free will and I can do whatever I want."

Of course God recognized that Jonah had free will and He will never override the freedom of choice. However, the Lord will do everything within His power to cause our will to be changed when it comes into conflict with His will.

So to get Jonah's attention, the Lord sent out a great wind and the little ship was tossed to and fro. All those on board were terrified, except for Jonah that is. He was down in the hold fast asleep, apparently oblivious to everything that was going on around him—the wind, the waves and the violent storm.

The sailors feared for their lives as the boat thrashed about in the sea. They asked themselves what they had done to deserve the terrible storm that had come upon them. They sought to find a reason for their dire circumstances, even tossing overboard those things that were weighing them down. It actually appeared to them that God was inflicting chastening upon them when they were innocent of any wrongdoing.

Interestingly enough, God was not dealing with the sailors at all. They were seasick, half-drowned, fearful, weary from trying to keep the ship afloat—yet God was not dealing with them God was only after Jonah and all those other people affected by the storm just happened to be in the same boat!

We can be in the same situation today when the Lord is dealing with someone in our family who is running from His presence. If someone in your household is resisting God, you can be sure that storms will beat upon your house. There will be problems and circumstances that are completely beyond your comprehension. Often the entire family structure will be shaken as God seeks to attract the attention of the prodigal.

Do you think having your son arrested for drug abuse isn't going to rock the boat? Or learning that your fifteen year old daughter is pregnant is going to be smooth sailing? Is the water calm when you have an alcoholic husband or your wife is having an affair with someone from her office?

You will probably feel like you are drowning in problems while your Jonah doesn't even seem to even notice the havoc their rebellion is causing. You are seasick, hanging over the side of the ship, wondering if you're going to survive the storm. Meanwhile your wayward one is calmly texting a friend as though no problem exists at all. Or perhaps even calling you to say he's working late at the office when you can hear laughter in the background.

And meanwhile, you are on your knees in prayer, waves of panic flowing over you, saying, "What have I done to deserve this?"

You have done nothing wrong. God is not dealing with you at all. Relax. Sooner or later the Jonah in your household will change his ways. And in the meantime, God isn't going to let your ship go down. You're going to make it safely to your destination if you don't panic and jump overboard.

Remember, if you're in the same boat with someone running from God, you're sure to experience some stormy times. Don't despair. Hang on tight, ride out the storm and let God have His perfect way. Remember how the story ends. Jonah eventually got to Nineveh, the sailors got to the other side and the boat didn't sink.